Suture anchoring and tensioning device

Abstract

A suture anchoring and tensioning device is made from a resilient strip of polymeric or superelastic material adapted to be coiled into a tight spiral configuration that restricts movement of a suture entwined therein as the device coils about itself.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a suture anchoring and tensioning device for use with sutures in surgical procedures.[0002] In surgical invasive procedures sutures are commonly used to close incisions and to reunite damaged tissue. Typically, the sutures are maneuvered and passed through the affected tissue and the free ends of the sutures are individually tied together by the surgeon. In most surgical incisions, the surgical site area is sufficiently exposed to permit the surgeon to access and quickly tie the suture with a surgical knot by his or her hand. However, in other surgical procedures, such as endoscopic procedures, lapaoroscopic procedures, arthroscopic procedures and the like, the suturing site is inaccessible to the surgeon's hands. As a result, the surgeon must tie each of the suture ends into a knot at a location remote from the suturing site, and then manipulate suitably configured instruments for sliding the surgical knot to the suturing site of the incision...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a suture anchoring device that eliminates knot tying by the surgeon performing the surgical procedure.

[0013] A still further object of the present invention is to provide a suture anchoring and tensioning device that is simple to use, and would require only minimal training by the surgeon.

Problems solved by technology

The opening of the clamp is slightly smaller than the diameter of the suture, thereby resulting in a pressure hold when the suture is passed through the suture clip.

There is a possibility of not achieving a good set, as the snap may not have been properly actuated, or that the snap may have released.

However, because the NITINOL.RTM. spring-coiled loops have a set mechanical property, the surgeon does not get the feel for the strength of the suturing in the anastomosis procedure.

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